(1) Field of the Invention
The inventive concepts presented herein generally are concerned with the layout of keyboards utilized as a data keypad interface for the entry of characters and data into electronic computing devices. Such data is commonly represented by letters of the English alphabet, Roman numerals, and other symbols and characters. More particularly, the inventive concept herein presents an alphabetically-arranged layout to facilitate use and access to the keys by persons who have not developed proficiency nor had courses of learning in typing or keyboard skills on the standard QWERTY-style keyboards.
Existing smart phone keyboards, computer keyboards, and touch screens are referred to as “QWERTY” keyboards. Due to the order in which the English letters are arranged in the QWERTY keyboards it can be difficult for an untrained typist to locate a specific letter, because the letters seem to be arranged in a nonsensical order. This can lead to misspelled words or unintended insertion of characters. The user can thereby easily become frustrated with the amount of time it takes to type a text message or email. A more efficient option is needed.
Another problem with the QWERTY type keyboards is that it takes non-proficient typists a certain length of time to acquire visual citing of specific characters on the keyboard, thus using valuable seconds for almost every key strike. However, a sub-conscious awareness of the alphabetical order of the English alphabet will more readily enable an unskilled typist to locate letters and characters with respect to their keys.
(2) Description of the Related Art
The following summary present a variety of devices having designs of keyboard arrangements that fall within the general concept of the inventive concept disclosed herein.
US patent application publication 2011/0206437 (Aug. 25, 2011) discloses a one-handed keyboard for a hand held computing device. The keyboard comprises an array of keys representing characters of an alphabet of a language. In one aspect, the array comprises keys representing frequently used vowel characters of the alphabet arranged together in series. The device contains keys representing frequently used consonant characters of the alphabet arranged adjacent to the keys representing vowel characters. Keys representing infrequently used consonant characters of the alphabet are arranged in positions remote from the keys representing vowel characters.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,656,317 (Feb. 2, 2010) discloses an apparatus with a first plurality of input keys. Some of the first input keys may be associated with both a numeric value and a first set of alphabetic values and arranged in a first alphabetic keypad layout. The apparatus is further provided with a second plurality of input keys, positioned adjacent to the first plurality of input keys, and being associated with at least one alphabetic value. Some keys of the second plurality of input keys may be arranged in a second alphabetic keypad layout different from the first alphabetic keypad layout.
In U.S. patent application publication #2008/0075517 A1 (Mar. 27, 2008) the inventor designed a key arrangement including a plurality of keys associated with alphabetic characters that include consonants and vowels. The plurality of consonants is arranged in a grid pattern having at least five keys. The consonants are arranged in a standard keyboard format and numbers are also associated with the keys.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,216,588, (May 15, 2007, inventor Suess, D.) presents a method for designing a data-entry interface layout of Roman alphabet letters thereon and involves the transposition of the letters on a three-row QWERTY keyboard into six rows. A letter (optimally every other letter) within a first, second, or third row of said three-row QWERTY keyboard is placed in an additional row substantially below an adjacent letter of said first, second, or third row.
US patent application publication #2006/0257191 (Nov. 16, 2006) is a keyboard for a computer comprising a plurality of keys arranged in two groups, one for the left hand and one for the right hand. According to the invention, each of the groups, for the four fingers except the thumb, comprises a basic key (B1 B2 B3 B4 B7 B8 B9 B10) and two adjacent keys (AE1 . . . , AIl . . . ) aligned either side thereof; and for the thumbs a basic key (B5 B6), all said basic and adjacent keys together representing the 26 letters of the alphabet.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,851,877 (Jan. 8, 2005) discloses a keyboard layout comprising a plurality of user selectable keys that are arranged in an essentially diamond-shaped pattern about a central key or point. Each key is at a minimum distance from the central point, relative to each other key. The keys representing the characters of the alphabet may be arranged alphabetically.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,263 (Jan. 2, 1996) discloses a keyboard for an electronic processor comprising two separate keyboard units for operation by the left and right hands, respectively. There are keys at locations corresponding to those of the left hand and right hand operational sides of a conventional, touch-typing keyboard. In one embodiment, the keyboard units can be folded for packing in stacked relation for “pocketability”
U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,343 (Oct. 25, 1994) presents a method for controlling cursor functions on a touch typing keyboard, comprising activation of the cursor control functions via transverse force applied comfortably by thumb movement. Such cursor activation is designed to be accomplished more easily and ergonomically effectively because it is claimed to be performable without averting the eyes from the text copy.